Leslie Alfred Redgrave

Leslie Alfred Redgrave
Born	1882 Newtown, Sydney
Died	15 May 1956 Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
Nationality	Australian
Education	Newington College University of Sydney
Occupation(s)	Writer and headmaster
Spouse	Ruby Ella née Bird
Children	Geoffrey Alfred Redgrave Ronald Leslie Redgrave
Parent(s)	Charles Alfred Hurst Redgrave Mary Jane née Bellingham

Leslie Alfred Redgrave (1882 – 15 May 1956), was an Australian writer, grazier and headmaster.[1] He was often published as L A Redgrave and as an educator was known as L Alfred Redgrave, B.A.[2] Redgrave was best known for his 1913 novel Gwen: a romance of Australian station life.[3]

Birth and education

Redgrave was born in Newtown in Sydney, the son of Charles Alfred Hurst Redgrave and Mary Jane (née Bellingham). He attended Newington College (1899–1902) as a day-boy while his parents resided in Paddington. In 1900, and again in 1901, he passed the Junior Examination and in 1902 he was appointed as a Prefect at Newington.[4] In March 1902 he passed the Matriculation Examination and went up to the University of Sydney.[5] Redgrave graduated as a Bachelor of Arts three years later in 1905.[6]

Highfield College

From 1907 until 1915, Redgrave was the proprietor and headmaster of Highfield College at Turramurra. The school was at 51 Ku-ring-gai Avenue[7] and his brother, Wilfred Harold Redgrave, ran the junior school. Advertising for the school said:
(a) An ideal home for young boys, with a mother's care, and best of food, and every comfort.
(b) Primary and secondary education, with the individual attention of graduate masters.
(c) Specially equipped classrooms, dormitories, and playing fields, in a fine healthy climate.[8] On its closure in 1915 the building was demolished and redeveloped with a new home in 1917.[9]

Marriage and children

In 1911 he married Ruby Ella Bird at St Leonards.[10] The union produced two sons, Geoffrey Alfred (born 1912) and Ronald Leslie (born 1913).[11]

Later life

From 1923 until 1943 Redgrave lived at Bellingara, 109 Copeland Road Beecroft.[12] He then moved to Oura via Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, and he died in Wagga in 1956.[13]

Publications

• Gwen: a romance of Australian Station life (1913)
• Feathered favourites: a booklet of bird verse (1932)
• Scatch Cock: a booklet of the bright birds of our bushland pictured in colour and rhyme for children (1933)
• Little bungalows: a practical handbook for the homemaker (1937)[14]

References

1. AusLit Retrieved 22 April 2014.
2. "Advertising". The Sydney Stock and Station Journal (NSW : 1896–1924). NSW: National Library of Australia. 4 December 1914. p. 15. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
3. National Library of Australia Retrieved 22 April 2014
4. Newington College Register of Past Students 1863–1998 (Syd, 1999) pp 164
5. University of Sydney Calendar 1902 Retrieved 30 April 2014.
6. Alumni Sidneiensis – Leslie Alfred Redgrave BA 1905 Retrieved 22 April 2014.
7. "Australian Wines". The Newsletter: an Australian Paper for Australian People (Sydney, NSW : 1900 - 1918). Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 6 April 1907. p. 9. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
8. "Advertising". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954). NSW: National Library of Australia. 22 June 1907. p. 8. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
9. The Historian Vol. 31 No 1, March 2002 by Jennifer Harvey and Lois McEvoy About No 51 Retrieved 30 April 2014
10. New South Wales Births, Deaths & Marriages Archived 22 April 2014 at archive.today Retrieved 22 April 2014.
11. New South Wales Births, Deaths & Marriages Retrieved 22 April 2014.
12. Beecroft Cheltenham Civic Trust – 109 Copeland Road Retrieved 22 April 2014.
13. NSW Government – State Records Archived 2 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 22 April 2014.
14. State Library of NSW – Catalogue Retrieved 22 April 2014.